All That I'm Living For
by Maresia Eterna
Summary: [COMPLETE] He finally understood he was not alone. She understood they would finally be a family. But then, why was the family portrait still broken? CLOTI [after FF AC]
1. Past of the Present

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing, you hear me? Nada!

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**Summary: **He finally understood he was not alone. She understood they would finally be a family. But then, why was the family portrait still broken? **CLOTI** (_after_ FF AC)

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Okay people, first of all _**English**_ is my _**second**_ language, so please be kind about the mistakes. Secondly, this happens _after_ the _**film**_. I _never_ played the game, so please allow me to make some errors here and there. Thanks for the attention, and sorry again!

Before letting you read the first chapter, allow me to thank my great friend **Unreal Wanderers**. She's kind of like the godmother of this fic. Thanks for everything, honey!

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**All That I'm Living For**

**Chapter 1**

Past of the Present

He was watching everything happening in slow motion.

She was standing a few meters away from him, her back turned to him, her long hair falling down to her elbows gently. A small breeze was playing with the straight streaks while she continued standing, but it was then that she raised her head up.

And it was then that he saw it.

The flash of metal.

Followed by the sound of flesh being ripped.

And she fell backwards, the long blade sliding off her torso as she continued falling backwards, her long hair hiding both sides of her face while her right hand was extended forward.

And even though all he wanted was to catch her, he felt it impossible to move. An evil laughter was echoing in his ears, his eyes locked with her falling form, but his legs still refused to move. And as he continued to struggle with himself in order to move, he watched her falling over the white and yellow lilies, her body now motionless while blood started to stain the earth.

And then he did what he usually did.

He shouted her name.

At lightning speed, he sat down on the bed, his heart beating painfully against his chest, bullets of sweat rolling down his face. As he desperately tried to calm his frenetic heart down, he rested his elbows on his knees, and closed his eyes. It was all a dream…he knew it was a dream, but it felt so real…

The way her hair moved at the wind…the way the blade plunged into her body…the way she fell…the way her blood stained the flowers and the earth…

His mind knew it was all a lie, but his heart was a different story.

Slowly he rested his head against the headboard, breathing deeply. For a long time he just stood in that position, drinking in all the silence offered by the night until his heart finally returned to its normal beating rate. For the last month he had been having that nightmare, and for the last month he always did the same thing.

Carefully not to make a sound, he stood up from the bed, and walked out of his room, moving quietly in order for the floor not to squeak under his weight. He knew she had a good hearing, but he did not want to wake her up, especially because he was aware that every night was a blessing for her. After all, aside from working at the bar all day and night, she still had to watch over the children that were living with them.

When he reached the door of her room, he blinked when it saw that it was slightly opened. Now that was odd; she usually made sure that her door was closed before going to bed. However, before getting worried about such thing, he looked through the door, and breathed in relief when he found her sleeping soundlessly on the bed. And beside her, also asleep, was a child.

A wave of relief washed over him as he continued to watch her sleep. It always felt good to watch her from the shadows, making sure she was alright. But then, the dream would always come back, and he would wonder.

Wonder about what it meant.

Wonder about what he should do to make it go away.

Carefully not to make any sound, he closed the door again, and retreated back to his room. That was his routine for the past month, and for some reason he felt that it was not going to change any time soon.

* * *

If there was something truly refreshing in the morning, it was the opportunity to have breakfast with Marlene and Denzel. The two of them always managed to make the day seem brighter than it already was, and their laughter was always constant as well as their little fights. They playing inside the house also brought life into that place even though Tifa was not always happy about it.

But then again, the broken vases and frames were a good excuse for the owner of the 7th Heaven bar to be mad. However, truth was that no one could stay mad for long, not when the anger was directed to the two children. They knew when to look cute, and they were _very_ conscious of when they should use their 'puppy eyes', so it became inevitable…they did know when to use their weapons to get away from trouble.

"C'mon Denzel, lets go play!" Marlene exclaimed happily after putting her plate and cup in the sink, and the boy nodded before mimicking her actions, and then the two of them left the kitchen.

As silence started to surround him, Cloud looked down at his plate filled with good looking pancakes, but instead of eating them, he put his fork down. Slowly he glanced to the window beside him, just above the sink, and stared at the sky that was barely visible through the white curtains.

Tifa was already at the bar, cleaning in order to have everything neatly done before opening the door. He knew that he should probably go help her, but Cloud also knew that if there was something that Tifa truly loved doing – aside from watching over the children – was her bar, and working in it.

Silently Cloud stood up from his chair, and put his untouched plate on the counter next to the sink before walking out off the kitchen. Marlene and Denzel's voice were coming from their room, and for some reason Cloud could say they were probably drawing.

Barely making any sound against the wooden floor, Cloud made his way down the stairs, towards the bar. He could already hear Tifa humming to herself, the sound of her footsteps indicating that she was walking around, probably sweeping the floor.

Without saying anything Cloud walked through the door just behind the counter of the bar, and stopped his tracks when he spotted Tifa sweeping the floor close to the main door. She was using her usual outfit, her hair down and caressing her bare arms as she continued working.

As Cloud continued to watch her, he could not help but remember what had happened in the two previous months. They had fought Kadaj and his brothers, and Cloud had even faced Sephiroth. Cloud could still remember very well how everything had ended at Aerith's Church, and how all the children – and him included – had finally been cured.

And Cloud could remember perfectly when he had seen Aerith crouching by some other children. He could still imagine her standing and walk to the doorway, only to turn around and assure him that everything was alright…that _he_ was alright before disappearing into a white light with Zack.

At the memory, Cloud did not manage to stop the corner of his lips to curl up into a ghost of a smile. Yes, it had been on that moment that Cloud had understood that he was not alone, and that he had a family to look after. A family that Tifa had so hard tried to bond, and that was finally united.

"You're so not going to stay there while I have all the work!"

Cloud forced himself to snap back to reality only to blink when he saw a pair of garnet colored eyes right in front of his. Tifa was standing barely one arm-length away, holding the broom with her right hand while her left one was resting on her hip. Her look, Cloud realized, was supposed to be one of anger, and he would have probably believe in it if he had not noticed the amused twinkle in the girl's eyes.

"Don't blame me for not having anything to do." Cloud retorted, and Tifa rolled her eyes before handing him the broom, which Cloud ended up grabbing. "Err…what am I supposed to do with this?"

"You can save the world, and yet you don't know the purposes of a broom." Tifa commented sarcastically before shaking her head slightly, and Cloud smiled sheepishly. "Shame on you Strife; do you want me to give you some basic classes about how to clean a bar?"

"No, I think I'll manage it."

"Great, because I still need to look at the bottles." Tifa replied before walking behind the counter, and start observing the bottles displayed in various shelves for anyone to see. "Say, were you wandering through the house last night?"

At the question, Cloud glanced at the young woman before walking towards the place where he had spot her sweeping the floor, and start doing the same thing. The question, although Tifa was completely oblivious of it, had only helped Cloud to remember the dream he had had. The dream where he was forced to watch her die…

"Yes, it was me, did I wake you up?" Cloud forced himself to ask in order to push the memories of the dream away from his mind, and Tifa turned to him before shaking her head. "Then how do you know someone was walking around?"

"I said you didn't wake me, I never said I wasn't up when I heard you." Tifa pointed out, and Cloud shrugged at her answer. "I thought it had been Denzel, since Marlene appeared in the middle of the night, asking me if she could sleep with me."

"Did something happen?" Cloud inquired as he continued to sweep the floor, his eyes locked with his friend, who shook her head.

"No, she said it was a bad dream, and that she was afraid of sleeping again." Tifa explained before shrugging. "Don't ask me what she dreamt about; she didn't say, and I preferred not to push the matter."

"Oh." was all Cloud muttered in reply, his eyes on the floor, but he looked up when he heard Tifa chuckle, and then he raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"Do you even know how hilarious it is to watch you sweeping the floor?" Tifa questioned, a smile on her face, and Cloud looked down at the broom before gazing at the young woman when she started laughing. "I wish I had a camera."

"I have one!" a voice exclaimed suddenly, and Cloud looked at the back door only to close his eyes in surprise when a flash made him go blind for an instant. When he opened his eyes again, however, Cloud saw Denzel and Marlene giggling while Tifa was laughing; Denzel was the one holding the camera.

Now Cloud knew he had two choices; or he either laughed with them, showing that he was not mad for being caught, or he could actually try to be funny, and show the children he was not someone they could play with. And for some unknown reason Cloud decided to give it a try, and chose the second one.

"Oh, I'm so going to get you." Cloud heard himself say, and the two children squealed in surprise before dashing towards the stairs, Cloud after them at full speed.

And for the first time after a long time Cloud actually forgot all the troubles, and allowed himself to be like an ordinary person, and have fun.

**To Be Continued…**

Alright people, so was this bad? Awful? Terrible? Should I just delete this? Please, be honest!


	2. See Me Not

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing!

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I want to thank **Aknskywalker**, **Flameshield**, **animeaddict101**, **Blue Mandy-Lion**, **Unreal Wanderers** _and_ **skcry** for everything! I truly hope I won't disappoint you guys!

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**Chapter 2**

See Me Not

She was watching everything happening in slow motion.

She was standing on the broken wooden floor, with her friends all around her, cheering as children continued to dive on the water. He, however, was staring at some point in the church ahead of him, a strange look on his face. He was oblivious of everything that was happening around him.

And then he stepped out off the water.

And walked right past her.

And he never glanced at her.

And then she felt her body turn as he walked past her. It was not as if she wanted to, but her limbs were moving even before her brain could process what she wanted to do.

And when she finally turned around, she opened her eyes wide in surprise when she saw him walking towards the open doors of the church.

Even though all she wanted was to run after him, to question him about where he was going, her body refused to move. All she could do was struggle to go after him…to stop him from walking away, but it was then that she saw it. At the entrance of the church, with a content smile on her face…

Aeris…

And as she continued to struggle with herself in order to move, she watched him walk towards Aeris, and smile at the flower girl.

And then she did what she usually did.

She shouted his name.

With a jump Tifa sat up straight on the chair only to wince when pain erupted from her neck due to the sudden movement. Wincing, Tifa rose a hand, and started rubbing her throbbing neck only to notice that she had fallen asleep on the bar, on a chair. A cloth and a tray were on the table in front of her, and slowly Tifa recalled that she had decided to take a break from cleaning.

And now she wished she hadn't done so.

Still rubbing her neck, Tifa sighed and stood up before grabbing the cloth and tray with her free hand. She knew that Cloud had asked if he could be the one to tuck Marlene and Denzel into bed, and since rare were the times when he did that, Tifa had agreed. But now Tifa could not help but wish that the children were still awake, to keep her from remembering the dream.

It was stupid though. Tifa knew that everything she had seen was only a dream, but it still hurt. To see Cloud walking away from her to go to Aerith was painful, but the stupid part was that Tifa knew that it was all impossible. After all, and unfortunately, Aerith was no longer between them.

Sighing again, Tifa washed the tray before putting it aside to dry, and cleaned her hands on the cloth before putting it inside a drawer. Every time she woke up from that dream, Tifa would feel sad and awful at same time; sad because the dream did make her believe that Cloud was leaving, and awful because she knew that she liked Aeris too much to be thinking about her taking Cloud away.

Suddenly Tifa did not feel like cleaning anything else; in fact, she felt too weak to do something else, so she simply walked towards the closest chair, and sat down. Groaning, Tifa rested her arms on the table, not shivering when the cold surface pierced her warm skin, and then she dropped her head on her crossed arms.

If she was lucky enough, Cloud would already be in bed, and she would be left alone, to dwell in memories and in her feelings.

"Tifa, are you alright?"

Then again, she had never been _that_ lucky…

"Yeah, just making a break." Tifa replied tiredly, not really having to fake to show that she was worn-out. Cloud, on the other hand, continued to stare at her as he sat on the chair across from hers. "What are you still doing up?"

"I'm not really tired." Cloud replied, and Tifa nodded before resting her head on her hand, her tired eyes glancing everywhere except at the young man. Sometimes she did wish she could ask him if he was indeed going to stay there forever, but then there would also be those moments when Tifa would think that Cloud was never going to settle down.

And that was simply weird, after all, he finally understood he was not alone. She understood they would finally be a family. But then…why was the family portrait still broken? Why did it feel as if something was still missing?

"I have a delivery tomorrow." Cloud spoke suddenly, and Tifa finally turned her attention to him only to see that he was looking down. "I'll probably be away for two days, but I'll try to return sooner."

"As long as you return safe…" Tifa whispered, and Cloud nodded in a unspoken reply.

And then there was silence.

Most of the time, silence did not bother her. In fact, Tifa had grown used to it when Cloud had drifted away from all of them, but on that moment she did not want to be surrounded by stillness. She needed to do something…to say something in order to push the dream to the back of her mind.

"I talked to Yuffie yesterday." Tifa heard herself say, and Cloud looked up at her. "I think she's coming here. She said something about dragging Vincent with her, and I think she'll try to convince Barret to come as well."

"What about Cid?"

"I seriously have no idea; she sounded too hyper over the phone, I didn't catch half of what she said." Tifa answered with a small shrug, and slowly she leaned against the back of the chair. "I don't know why, but I think she wants to have a party here."

"If that's true, I guess I'll have to speed up the delivery." Cloud muttered, and Tifa chuckled; oh yes, she knew that was true. Who knew what Yuffie would do if she found out that Cloud was not around precisely on the day she wanted to have a party?

"And I guess it's time for us to go rest." Tifa spoke suddenly before standing up, Cloud watching her silently. No matter how much she loved to take profit of all the moments she was alone with Cloud, it was also true that she was tired. That not to mention that there were the two always hyper children she needed to keep an eye on.

"I can help you tomorrow morning if you want, before I leave." Cloud spoke as he also stood up, and Tifa smiled at him before shaking her head.

"No, that's alright. Besides, the sooner you go, the sooner you'll be back." she replied, and Cloud arched an eyebrow at her words. "And don't you dare to say it sounds as if I'm trying to get rid of you."

"It seems that I no longer need to speak for you to know what's on my mind." Cloud commented suddenly, the corners of his lips curled into a ghost of a smile, and Tifa stuck a tongue at him. "Do you know that's scary?"

"Why do you think I keep on doing it?" Tifa asked back, and Cloud chuckled as the two of them walked out of the bar through the back door.

* * *

"Aww, c'mon, I don't believe it!"

"Sorry Yuffie, but he left this morning." Tifa apologized, and the younger girl started muttering things under her breath. "He said he'll be back tomorrow, though. I'm sure the party can wait, no?"

"How come Cloud always manages to run away every time I want to do something? That's unfair, you know?" Yuffie continued, and Tifa smiled slightly at her. "Specially when I actually manage to convince _him_ to come."

At those words, Tifa glanced at the man that was leaning against a wall, on the darkest side of the bar. As usual, Vincent Valentine preferred to observe rather than to get involved in the conversation. Barret had also been dragged by Yuffie, and had taken Marlene and Denzel for a walk.

According to Yuffie, Cid and Nanaki were going to show up later.

"C'mon Yuffie, it's just for one night. I'm sure we can all squeeze in the house." Tifa started, and the other girl pouted. "You and Marlene can stay with me in my room. Denzel can stay with Cloud, and Cid, Vincent, Barret and Nanaki can stay in the children's room."

"Well, I guess that will work too." Yuffie finally gave in after a short silence, and then she nodded before smiling. "Yeah, I like that! And Cloud better not run this time."

"He's not running away; he's taking care of a deliver." Tifa retorted, and Yuffie sighed before mumbling an 'I know' . "Besides, he knew you guys were going to come, so I'm positive he'll be back sooner than you think."

"Sure, anyway, I have to ask you something." Yuffie spoke suddenly as Tifa walked behind the counter of the bar. "Tell me, when are you going to tell Cloud?"

"Tell him what?" Tifa asked back, as she started washing some dishes and glasses, and Yuffie rested her arm on the top of the counter before resting her chin on her hand.

"Seriously, you can kick a guy's ass any time, and yet you chicken out when it's about you being honest with Cloud." Yuffie started before shaking her head. "You're such a coward sometimes."

"You can call me whatever you want, Yuffie, but that's not going to work." Tifa started, shaking her head slightly as she continued washing the dishes. "I'm not going to tell him."

"Why not? C'mon Tifa, you're already a family!" Yuffie exclaimed, throwing her arms in the air. "All you guys need to do is say those three little words, have a huge wedding, and then a baby. I'm sure that's not _that_ hard!"

"Yuffie!"

"Cloud once said he wanted to try." Vincent spoke up suddenly, and Tifa turned her head to him. For a moment she had forgotten he was there. "He told me before taking Marlene away from Kadaj that he wanted to try. He wanted to try to have a normal life despite of all the sins in the past."

"He has just understood that he's not alone." Tifa started, holding a dish above the water in the sink. "He has just understood that Aeris had already forgotten him, and I know he still thinks of her. I'm not going to tell him."

"Then, when?" Yuffie questioned, looking slightly annoyed. "Are you going to tell him when both of you are old and grey, and one of you is lying on a bed, ready to leave us? C'mon Tifa, you're so strong! I can't believe you're scared! Just tell him! Yes, because, in case you haven't noticed, we are tired of waiting for you to get together!"

"Yuffie, please…"

"Tifa!" two voice chorused, and the three adults turned to the front door of the bar only to see Marlene and Denzel there, each one of them holding an ice cream while Barret stood behind them, arms pressed against his chest. "Look!"

"Oh Barret, now you ruined their appetite." Tifa groaned, allowing a hint of amusement to accompany her words so that her friends could see that she was just joking. However, as she watched Marlene and Denzel laugh as Barret scratched the back of his head, Vincent watching everything in silence while Yuffie laughed, Tifa could not help but smile.

She knew that one day she would have to be honest with Cloud and with herself. She knew it had to be soon…too much time had already been wasted in wars and in memories, but at same time Tifa could not help but remember her dream.

After all, what would happen if despite of everything Cloud would never look at her the same way he had looked at Aeris?

**To Be Continued…**


	3. The Spring of Healing

**Disclaimer:** I only own the plot, nothing else.

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I want to thank **Flameshield**, especially for correcting that mistake of mine. Thanks a lot!

**Chapter 3**

The Spring of Healing

When Cloud stepped inside, laughter immediately started ringing on his ears. He could hear people running around, while others shouted or talked. For a moment he wondered what could be going on; he had just returned, but no one had been at home to welcome him. However, when he opened the back door that lead to the bar, he remembered what had happened before he left.

Marlene and Denzel were squealing as they continued running around, trying to escape from a laughing Yuffie. Vincent was sitting next to Cid, in silence, while the pilot requested Tifa to bring another drink. Barret was holding a beer while Nanaki was lying on the floor, watching everyone.

Then, Tifa walked in front of him, too busy scolding Cid for being his fourth drink to actually notice him. Nonetheless, Cloud took that opportunity just to observe what was happening in front of him, and for the first time he felt it. He felt as if everything was alright…as if there was no worry in the world…

In that moment there was only him and his family…

"Cloud!"

The young man was forced to snap from his thoughts when he saw Denzel and Marlene run towards him, before ducking behind his legs. Yuffie, noticing this, sent him a glare and then crossed her arms against her chest.

"You are protecting two outlaws! Hand them over!" Yuffie ordered, and for a moment Cloud wondered about what she was talking about when he heard Denzel and Marlene giggle from behind him.

"No, I don't think I will." Cloud retorted, as he also crossed his arms against his chest, and he smiled slightly when he heard Denzel and Marlene struggling not to laugh. "I guess you'll have to defeat me to get to them."

"What? You would fight a girl?" Yuffie asked suddenly, and Cloud thought about it for a moment before glancing at the children behind his shoulder.

"Sorry kids, she does have a point."

"Ah!" both Denzel and Marlene squeaked before dashing from behind Cloud towards the backdoor, and Yuffie shouted their names before rushing after them.

"That girl is going to be a very…rebel mother." Nanaki commented after a sigh, and everyone – except for Cloud and Vincent – laughed at his words.

"Oi Spiky!" Barret greeted, raising his beer, and Cloud nodded at him before sitting on the chair across the one Tifa had taken in order to rest. "Thought you were trying to get away from us."

"Yeah, shit. Yuffie was about to kick your damn ass!" Cid exclaimed, before sipping a bit from his drink. "You damned kid; she dragged us all here, and I would be fucking damned if you weren't here."

"Well, I'm here now." Cloud retorted, and he noticed Tifa smiling at him. "For how long have you guys been here?"

"Since yesterday." Tifa spoke before one of the guys could give an inappropriate retort. "I managed to put them all in the children's room. Don't ask me how they managed to spend the night together and survive, but they are all here, ready to tell the story."

"Man, the damned guy here snores like hell!" Cid cursed as he elbowed Barret on the arm. "Next time I'll sleep in the bar if I have to."

"Heck, you didn't hear yourself snoring, did ya?" Barret asked back, and Cloud sent Tifa a questioning look, which made the girl shrug. "The whole room shook!"

"Surely you guys can survive one last night." Tifa commented suddenly, interrupting the discussion, her elbows on the table. "After all, with Cloud back, we can finally talk about everything and nothing."

"And hopefully they won't kill each other during the talk." Nanaki spoke from the floor, and everyone chuckled at his words.

"Well then, I'll just go call Yuffie and put the children to sleep." Tifa started as she stood up, but before she walked through the back door she glanced at the group. "And Cloud, keep Cid away from the drinks."

"Shit, I'm not an alcoholic, and I'll be damned if Spiky becomes my babysitter!"

* * *

After a long deep breath Cloud stood up from his bed, carefully enough not to wake the child that was sleeping beside him. Everybody else was also sound asleep in their own rooms, and that gave him the peace he needed to arrange his thoughts. Once again, he had had the same dream.

Once again he had watched her die.

And once again he had been unable to save her.

After closing the door of the room, Cloud rubbed his eyes in tiredness. That dream was indeed starting to get to him physically; after all, for more than a month he had not have a decent night of sleep.

"Trouble sleeping?"

In surprise, Cloud felt his muscles tense up as he looked up, not only to find himself inside the bar, but also staring at no one other than Vincent Valentine. For a moment, the two fighters just stared at each other until Cloud sat down on the closest chair, and nodded tiredly. He guessed that once again, it would be Vincent who would speak to him.

"I take it you chose _not_ to sleep." Cloud stated, and Vincent crossed his arms against his chest while nodding slightly.

"I have the feeling you need to talk." Vincent spoke after a long silence, and Cloud stared down at the wooden floor before running his hand through his spiky hair.

The real question was; did he _really_ need to talk?

Did he really want to talk about something that was simply a dream?

"He said he was never going to be a memory." Cloud heard himself say, words leaving his lips before he even had the time to think about what he was saying. "And for some reason I think that's true."

"You cannot live in the past." Vincent started in his calm tone, and Cloud turned his attention to his friend, who was still in the shadows. "You cannot live thinking about the day Sephiroth will show up again. You cannot live thinking that he will appear again; you have to live what life offers you."

"But…" Cloud trailed off, while his brain processed what had just been told. He knew what Vincent had said was true; heavens, he knew, but still… Why was there a sense of fear at the bottom of his stomach? "The risk of losing everything again…"

"You told me you were going to try to forgive the sins made in the past."

At that Cloud looked up at his friend. Yes, that was true. He had promised himself that he was going to try…he had vowed the same thing again when he had seen Aeris and Zack disappear at the Church…

And he knew he did have the chance to live.

Like he had promised Zack.

"You already have a family, so don't lose it." Vincent continued, and Cloud snapped from his thoughts only to see his friend walking towards the back door of the bar. "You have a chance, Cloud, a chance the two of us know that you want to accept, so think about for what you're living for. If for fear of having to face Sephiroth again, or for having the best people around you."

In silence Cloud watched Vincent walking through the door, only to leave it open. For a moment Cloud glanced down to his knees, but he gazed up again when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"What are you doing up?" Cloud questioned as Denzel continued to stand in front of him, in silence, his clear eyes locked with the floor. "Did you have a nightmare?"

"Cloud…are you going to leave us again?"

"What are you talking about?" Cloud asked surprised, but then he pulled the boy up until Denzel was sitting on his leg. "I don't know who told you that, but I'm not going to leave Denzel. Not anymore."

"Then why…why don't you ask mum?" Denzel asked, glancing at Cloud only to look down almost immediately, and the older man stared worriedly at the boy. "Everyone at school, they…they have a mum and a dad, but I….I have a mum and…and Marlene is my sister, and hum… Cloud, when…are you ever going to be my dad?"

"You…you want me to be?" Cloud asked back before he could actually control himself, and Denzel nodded as he finally gazed at the older man, a timid look on his face.

"Well yeah, I mean…Tifa is my mum now, and I really want to call you dad, and hum…I'm just tired of listening to Tifa cry every time you leave, and hum…" Denzel looked down, a soft blush on his cheeks. "I know that only you can stop her crying, and I would really like to have you as my dad, and hum…"

"Tifa cried when I left?" Cloud asked suddenly, and Denzel looked up at him before nodding vigorously.

"I only heard her once, but she said your name, and hum…" the boy bite his lower lip in nervousness. "I-I know she was crying because you left, but when I walked inside the room, she smiled at me and said that everything was alright."

"You…you want me to become your dad?" Cloud repeated again, and the boy nodded again. "Denzel, I…"

"What are you doing up at this hour?" a voice asked suddenly, and Cloud looked up while Denzel gazed to his side, and both of them glanced at each other when they saw who it was. "Cloud, you should know better than letting Denzel wander around at this hour."

"I…I was just telling him to go to bed." Cloud replied as he put Denzel down in order to stand up, and then he looked at the boy with a blank look on his face. "You go back to bed, I'll be there shortly."

"Sure dad!" Denzel exclaimed, sounding a bit too excited for a child who was up at three in the morning, and then he turned to the person standing by the back door of the bar. "Good night, mum!"

"What was that all about?" Tifa questioned as she watched Denzel running up the stairs, but Cloud did not answer as he now stared at the young woman.

She had cried when he had left. For some reason, Cloud hated the idea of being the one to blame for that. Ever since he could remember Tifa was always smiling, never bothering to show her real emotions to anyone. And now, with Marlene and Denzel around, she smiled even more, only to frown when she worried about her friends.

"_Cloud, when…are you ever going to be my dad?"_

He had to be honest; to have a family was something he had always wanted. Well, at least ever since he and Tifa had started living with the two children. In fact, ever since the four of them had gotten together that Cloud felt that that was the best feeling in the world. And now, after all the nightmare that they had gone through, Cloud felt that the bond was stronger than before.

And he knew there was only one person he had to thank to.

And that person was currently staring worriedly at him, a hand waving in front of his face.

"Cloud, are you alright?" Tifa asked suddenly, breaking the silence, and the man blinked. "You look tired; why don't you go sleep?"

"_You have a chance, Cloud, a chance the two of us know that you want to accept, so think about for what you're living for. If for fear of having to face Sephiroth, or for having the best people around you."_

He had a chance.

He had a chance to have a family of his own…a family he loved and that he was going to protect with everything he had.

He had someone he loved.

"Tifa…" Cloud whispered, and the woman entitled her head slightly to the side, waiting for him to continue. "I…Thank you."

"For what?" Tifa questioned, raising an eyebrow in confusion, but she blinked in surprise when Cloud allowed a smile to grace his features. Not a ghost of a smile, not a quick glimpse of a smile…a real smile.

"Thank you for helping me to heal."

**To Be Continued…**


	4. Locked Hearts

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing, just the plot.

* * *

I want to thank **Aknskywalker**, **Flameshield**, **scooter5710** _and_ **Blue Mandy-Lion** for everything. You guys rule!

**Chapter 4**

Locked Hearts

With a small yawn, Tifa glanced at the dishes she had yet to clean. Cid and Barret sure knew when to behave like little children sometimes, but Tifa knew that this time it was too late to complain. After all, the group had already left, leaving the children and the two young adults behind.

Slowly, Tifa started washing the glasses, but for some reason she could not help but glance at the back door from time-to-time. The children were so quiet that she could not help but think that something was wrong. Either that, or Marlene and Denzel had sneaked into the kitchen again and were trying to do something behind her back.

And since Tifa knew Cloud was with them, she knew she only had reasons to worry about that second possibility.

"Tifa, what are you doing?"

In confusion, the woman looked to her side only to see Marlene there, holding a small bag. For a moment there was silence, Tifa staring at the child with puzzlement. What on earth could Marlene be possibly be doing with a bag was beyond Tifa's comprehension, but Tifa's confusion only increased when Denzel showed up, a bag on his back.

"May I ask where the two of you think you're going?" Tifa finally questioned as she dropped the glass on the sink, and rested the back of her hand on her hip since she did not want to wet her clothes. "Did you forget to tell me something?"

"Tifa, didn't Cloud tell you?" Marlene asked, sounding a bit exasperated, but the older woman simply arched an eyebrow as she waited for an explanation. "But you're supposed to take the day off, and Cloud said we're supposed to go for a walk!"

"Walk? What walk?" Tifa questioned, but before she knew it, Cloud emerged from behind the children, and then she sighed. "Is there anything you forgot to mention me?"

"Hum…I guess?" Cloud replied, looking rather embarrassed, but Tifa could not help but smile slightly when she noticed the very faint blush on his cheeks. "Do you think you can take the day off?"

For a moment Tifa pretended to consider. Tapping a finger against her chin, she gazed around at the bar; everything was clean aside from the dishes she had yet to wash. There was nothing there for her to do aside from opening the bar, but when she glanced at Denzel and Marlene and noticed their anxious looks, she sighed.

"Consider yourself lucky since I didn't open the bar yet."

Suddenly Marlene and Denzel started cheering, making Tifa chuckle at their behaviour, but it was then that she glanced at Cloud. He looked relieved now, probably still feeling guilty for not warning her, but Tifa was not mad at him. On the contrary, she was actually happy to know that he had been the one to think about the walk. That only showed that he was slowly getting used to be a normal person.

If Cloud Strife could ever be a normal person that is.

"So, where are we going?" Tifa asked as she cleaned her hands in a white cloth.

"Well, the children asked to go to the park." Cloud explained, and Tifa sent him a confused look. "Well, I think they just want an excuse to run around, and hum…"

"Fine, to the park it is." Tifa interrupted with a small smile before glancing at Marlene and Denzel, who were smiling sweetly at her, though a mischievous spark was on their eyes. And _that_ was not good. "Let me just go grab my things."

"We already did that!" the children exclaimed when Tifa gave the first step forward, and the woman blinked when Denzel raised a small bag. "Now, c'mon!"

"Wait, I have to lock the door!" Tifa exclaimed when the two children grabbed her wrists, and started pulling her, but all they did was laugh. "You know I can't leave things open like this!"

"Cloud will close the door!" Marlene said as she pulled Tifa out of the door, and the older woman looked over her shoulder only to see Cloud following them silently. "Cloud, don't forget the door!"

"I won't, I won't." Cloud muttered, and Tifa could not help but allow a small smile to grace her features as she continued to watch Cloud closing the door behind him, and lock it with a quick movement with his wrist.

"C'mon Cloud, lets go!" Denzel spoke as he walked towards the man, who was still following them, and just like Marlene had done with Tifa, Denzel grabbed Cloud's wrist. "We have to protect the gals!"

"Ah, Tifa can kick butt as easily as Cloud can!" Marlene retorted when Denzel's voice echoed in her ears, and Tifa chuckled while Denzel pulled Cloud forward so that they were all side-by-side. "And I can protect myself."

"Sure, but you're still a girl." Denzel pointed out, and Marlene stuck her tongue at him. "See? You're too immature to know how to protect yourself."

"You're immature too!" Marlene exclaimed, defending herself. "You're my age! But if you must know, girls mature more quickly than boys. Isn't that right, Tifa?"

"So it seems." was all Tifa was able to say, because as soon as those words left her lips, Denzel turned to Cloud, and asked him to say something that could defend the male side. Cloud, however, simply smiled faintly and shook his head.

"This is your fight, Denzel, you are the one discussing this with Marlene." Cloud retorted, and Tifa looked at him as if he was crazy before raising an eyebrow when the two children continue quarrelling about who was the most mature one out of the two.

With a content smile on her face, Tifa glanced at Cloud before focusing her attention on the children, who were still holding their wrists. For the first time in her life, Tifa was feeling as if they were indeed a family, and inside she was excited because Cloud appeared to be enjoying that moment too. Not only that, but since Cloud himself had thought about that small walk to the park…

"Eh, Cloud, why did you decide to take a day off so suddenly?" Tifa questioned as she looked at the tall man beside her, who looked back at her. "I mean, I never thought you were the type to do something like this from out of the blue."

"You…you think I shouldn't have done this?" Cloud asked back, and Tifa shook her head.

"I think this was a great idea, Cloud, and I think it was very thoughtful of you." she started, smiling, "And I guessed I needed this too. And the children…they'll finally be able to run around, like maniacs, and not break anything."

"That's true."

"We're here!" both Denzel and Marlene shouted suddenly, and almost immediately they let go of the adults' wrists, and run away, Tifa ordering them to be careful.

"Those two will never change." Tifa muttered under her breath, but she looked at Cloud when he chuckled next to her. "C'mon, pretty boy, lets look for a place where we can sit down, and do what you never do. Relax!"

Despite of the fact Cloud did not say anything as he nodded in agreement, Tifa had been surprised by the words that had stumbled through her lips. She had never, ever, called Cloud 'pretty boy' before, but since nothing seemed to have broken the atmosphere, Tifa decided to put it aside.

In silence the two adults walked towards a vacant spot, between strong roots of a tall tree, and sat down, Denzel and Marlene still in their visual range. Still without uttering a word, Tifa put a blanket on the ground, and sat down, Cloud mimicking her actions moments later so that they were sitting next to each other.

"Hmm, I'm so glad you thought about this…" Tifa moaned as she closed her eyes, and raised her head, feeling the sun rays caressing her face while a breeze played with her long hair. "I almost forgot what it means to chill out for real."

"I'm glad to know you liked it." Cloud answered quietly, and a comfortable silence surrounded them as the two friends just continued feeling the sunrays warming their bodies up. However, after what seemed to be an eternity, Tifa parted her lips.

"Do you feel it, Cloud?" she questioned still without opening her eyes, though Tifa was certain that the man was now staring at her. "Today, I…I feel as if we're a true family. Do you feel the same?"

"…Yes." Cloud finally confessed, and slowly Tifa opened her eyes to gaze at him, and she blinked when she saw that he was staring at the sky. "The first time I felt this was when I walked inside the bar, and saw everyone there. It just…it felt right."

"Funny, I felt the same." Tifa pointed out, and the corner of her lips curled up into a small smile. "It felt as if we didn't have a care in the world, and I thought it was very soothing just to be there, with our friends, talking about silly stuff."

"Yes."

"But Cloud, I have to ask you something." Tifa started, but this time she looked to the spot where Marlene and Denzel were while the blond stared at her with his deep eyes. "I… Even though I feel as if we're a family, I… Cloud, you know I will always be here for you, right?"

"I will never doubt that." Cloud replied with a small nod, and Tifa licked her lips before gazing down.

"Then… I don't know, if you ever leave again, will you…promise that you will return?" Tifa questioned without looking up, even though she had felt Cloud tense up. "I know you will, but, do you think you can promise?"

"Tifa…" Cloud trailed off, but the young woman eventually raised her head to look at him in time to hear him sigh. "If I leave, it's just because of the deliveries, I promise I won't leave like I did last time again."

"How can you be so certain about it?" Tifa asked, closing her right hand into a fist, and then she glanced at Marlene and Denzel again. "We all have our ghosts, and we all have unfinished business somewhere, and you…"

"Tifa, I'm not going to leave you again." Cloud interrupted, and there was something in his voice…the tone of determination and truth perhaps, that made Tifa feel her heart tighten. "I'm not going away again. Not when I finally…understood everything."

"Cloud…"

"I never actually thought about the possibility of hurting you with my departure." Cloud continued as he laid down on his side on the blanket, supporting his body with his right arm. "I mean, I know you would be mad, but I never thought I would be responsible for making you cry."

"Cloud, you…"

"Remember the night when you caught Denzel and I at the bar?" Cloud inquired suddenly, and Tifa blinked before nodding, and the man gazed at the children play at the horizon. "He…he asked me if I was ever going to be his dad."

"Denzel loves you dearly, Cloud, and he sees us more than just his guardians." Tifa stated, and Cloud nodded before turning his eyes to her, and Tifa felt her breathe get stuck on her throat. There was something new in his eyes…something she had never seen before, but that at same time did not frighten her…

"I talked to Vincent before he left." Cloud started, and Tifa nodded. "He told me something I had never thought about, but now I know he was right. He…he told me that it's time for me to live my life. Zack and Aeris lost theirs because they wanted to protect the ones they loved, and at same time they kept on helping me to stay alive, and now…I don't know, I think I understand why."

Now why was Tifa feeling her heart beat at full speed, her blood pumping at an incredible rate? Why was she feeling her hand trembling slightly? And why couldn't she look away from Cloud's exquisite eyes?

"Cloud?"

"They helped me to live because of that." the blond proceeded as he glanced at Marlene and Denzel, to whom Tifa looked at before focusing her attention on Cloud again at same time he gazed at her again. "And because of everything you did for me."

"We're friends, Cloud, of course I h-"

"No." Cloud interrupted, and Tifa swallowed as she waited for him to say more. Could it be that he…? "Tifa, you always had what I was struggling to find, but with everything that happened with Aeris, and then with Kadaj and Sephiroth I became afraid of losing everything that was dear to me all over again, but now…"

"Tifa, I'm hungry!" a voice exclaimed suddenly, and the two young adults looked to the children that suddenly appeared next to them, both with flushed expressions. "Can I eat a sandwich?"

"Of course, but you also must drink a lot of fluids." Tifa answered as she sat up straight, and reached out for a bag, and took two bottles from inside before handing them to the children. "C'mon, seat down so that you can eat."

"Thanks mum!" Denzel thanked as he sat down next to Cloud, before grabbing the sandwich that Tifa handed to him. "Hey dad, don't you want with us? I'm sure you're starving because I noticed that you skipped breakfast."

"What? You skipped breakfast?" Tifa questioned after hearing the little boy's words, and then she stared at Cloud in disbelief. "Cloud, you're supposed to be an example for them to follow. Please, don't skip any more meals so that they won't start doing the same."

"Alright."

"You know, you two sound just like a married couple." Marlene giggled, and Tifa blushed at her words before glancing at Cloud, who was staring at his own sandwich, a faint blush on his pale cheeks.

Perhaps on day Tifa would be able to be honest with Cloud and confess her feelings, and maybe, just maybe, they would be able to become a real family.

**To Be Continued…**


	5. A Mended Portrait

**Disclaimer:** I simply own the plot. Aside from that, I own nothing!

* * *

I want to thank everyone for everything, but mainly for your support. I would have never continued with this fic, if it hadn't been for you all. Thank you so much for everything you did for me! I also must tell you about an important information; this is the _**last**_ chapter. I thought it was the best time to end this story, and I hope you guys accept it as it is. This was my **first** _Final Fantasy VII_ fic, and I hope that I won't disappoint you with this chapter.

Once again, I thank everyone for everything you did!

* * *

**Chapter 5**

A Mended Portrait

With a deep breath, Cloud walked through the front door of the bar. Tifa had given him a spare key because he had been arriving rather late from the last delivers, and since none of them actually wanted to wake the children up, they had decided it was better if each one of them had a key.

Once again, Cloud had arrived after midnight from the deliver, and tiredly he sat down on the closest chair before resting his hand on his head. Two week had passed ever since he had taken his family to the park, and from that day on, it had been non-stop. Delivers seemed to fall from the sky, making it almost impossible for Cloud to spend some time with his family.

But despite of everything, Cloud wanted to give it a try. Vincent's words were still echoing in his ears, and Cloud knew it was time to choose. It was time to opt between living his life in fear of the future and the chance of living with the people he loved.

"Here."

Raising his head from his hand, Cloud found himself staring at a cup filled with hot milk before looking up, and gaze right at a pair of garnet eyes. What warmed him inside though, was the smile that was enlightening Tifa's face. Then, Tifa sat down on the chair across from his, the smile never leaving her face.

"Thanks." Cloud thanked as he wrapped his hand around the cup, but Tifa just shook her head. "What are you doing up at this hour?"

"I couldn't sleep." Tifa quickly explained, and Cloud nodded. "Anyway, I'm sure you're tired, so drink that milk and go to bed. I promise I'll stop Denzel and Marlene from waking you up in the morning."

"No, it's alright." Cloud replied before raising the cup, and sip a bit of the milk before putting the cup down. His eyes had been locked with Tifa's form the whole time, his mind getting lost in a turmoil of thoughts. "Why do I have the feeling there's something troubling you?"

"Huh? Oh, it's nothing Cloud, seriously." Tifa replied, looking up from her lap, but the man arched an eyebrow at her words. Tifa had always been terrible when it came to lies. "I just…it was just a dream…a stupid dream."

"Want to tell me about it?" Cloud asked, and he saw Tifa tense up on her chair before shaking her head. For a moment Cloud could not help but recall his own nightmares…the nightmares when he would be powerless to save her life. "You know you can tell me anything you want."

"Cloud, I…" Tifa trailed off, her eyes locked with her lap again, and Cloud crossed his arms against his chest as he silently waited for her to continue. "Did you ever think we…well, if we'll ever be a real family?"

"I thought we already were." Cloud commented, looking troubled for a moment, and Tifa sighed tiredly at his words. "What's going on?"

"I mean a _real_ family, Cloud." Tifa tried to explain still without looking up, and Cloud entitled his head slightly to the side. "You and I…the children…do you think we'll ever become a real family like all the ones that we see everyday?"

A real family…

Could she possibly be talking about them…?

Could she truly feel the same as him?

"_I know that only you can stop her crying, and I would really like to have you as my dad, and hum…"_

"Tifa, I…"

"Cloud!" a voice shouted suddenly, and the two young adults looked at the backdoor of the bar only to see Denzel standing there, a wide smile on his face. "Cloud, you came back!"

"Denzel, did you find Tifa?" a second voice asked, and before someone could say something, Marlene emerged from behind Denzel looking troubled. Her worried expression faded into a surprised one when she saw who was at the bar. "Cloud!"

Suddenly the two children ran towards the blond, behaving as if they had not seen him in months, but Cloud gladly received their hugs. If there was something Cloud truly loved about those two were their spontaneity, and how easily they expressed their feelings. But then again, they _were_ children…

While Denzel and Marlene continued to try to cut Cloud's air with their bear-hugs, the young man gazed at Tifa, who was watching everything with a content smile on her face. Then, before something could be said, Marlene let go of Cloud, and went to Tifa's side.

"I don't want you to get jealous." Marlene stated before pulling Tifa into a hug, and rest her head against the woman's chest.

And as Cloud and Tifa continued to stare at each other, each one of them holding Denzel and Marlene respectively, Cloud could not help but drink in the sensation of them being a true family.

* * *

He was watching everything happening in slow motion.

She was standing a few meters away from him, her back turned to him, her long hair falling down to her elbows gently. A small breeze was playing with the straight streaks while she continued standing, but it was then that she raised her head up.

However, this time there was no flash of metal.

There was no sound of flesh being ripped.

On the contrary, instead of the melody of war, there was the sound of water streaming down.

And instead of a blade, there were yellow and white petals falling over her.

And she raised both her hands, trying to catch some of the falling petals that were already getting entangled with her hair while caressing her bare skin as they fell down to the wooden floor.

And then there was a giggle.

Her giggle.

And then she turned around, revealing her oh so sweet smile, and her twinkling dark eyes. Eyes that found his immediately, almost as if she had known he had been there ever since the beginning.

"_Go to her, Cloud."_

And even though he expecting not to be able to move an inch, Cloud glanced at his feet when he gave the first step forward. Then, he gave another, and another, and before he knew it, he was standing right in front of her, petals still falling over them.

And then a bright light shone over them.

And then he did what he usually did, but this time it came out different.

He whispered her name.

Suddenly his eyelids fluttered open, and Cloud found himself staring at the ceiling of his room. Light was already penetrating the half-closed curtains, blessing the room with a comfortable atmosphere. An atmosphere that had never followed his nightmare.

But this time it had not been a nightmare.

No, it had been something so good…

"Cloud?" a timid voice called-out, and the young man turned his head to the door only to see Marlene there, a hand on the doorknob while a hesitant expression was on her face. "Are you okay?"

"Marlene, did something happen?" Cloud questioned as he sat up on the mattress, and Marlene bite her lower lip before shaking her head, but she still did not let go of the doorknob. "You can come in, if you want."

"It's just that Denzel went to the kitchen, and I want to wait for him." Marlene explained, and Cloud blinked when he saw the girl turn her head to the hall, and say something incomprehensible. However, before Cloud could even try to get out off bed, Marlene finally stepped inside the room, Denzel emerging from behind her.

"Where's Tifa?" Cloud asked as the two children stood at the feet of the bed.

"She went to buy some things." Denzel answered, but Cloud could not help but raise an eyebrow very slightly when he saw the two children exchanging a look. "And Cloud, we want to ask you something."

"Why haven't you asked Tifa to marry you yet?" Marlene blurred out, and Cloud opened his eyes wide in surprise before regaining his posture while Denzel sighed and shook his head.

"Marlene, I thought we were supposed to ask that at same time." the boy commented, and Marlene turned to him, her arms now pressed against her chest.

"I just couldn't help myself, they're behaving like children!" Marlene exclaimed before turning her attention back to Cloud, who blinked when he noticed that her hesitant expression had been exchanged by one of anger. "Cloud, don't you want us to be a family?"

"I…yes, I…"

"Then, why haven't you asked Tifa to marry you?" Marlene questioned, looking rather angry, and Cloud mentally sighed. Was he just dreaming or was he really being scolded by a ten-year-old? Oh, it was still too early for that. "Denzel here is dying to be able to call you mum and dad for real, but you're not doing anything!"

"Marlene, things are not that simple." Cloud started, but this time it was Denzel who interrupted him.

"Cloud, you told me you wanted to be my dad, and I…I thought you meant that we would be a real family." the boy commented as he gazed down. "And I know Tifa would say 'yes' if you asked her to marry you."

"I agree with her. Tifa has been waiting for that for ages now!" Marlene exclaimed, and Cloud sighed as he turned to the girl.

"You've been around Yuffie for too long." Cloud stated. "She's clearly becoming an awful influence."

"Nope, she's becoming an awesome influence!" Marlene exclaimed as she shook her head, and then she pointed a finger at Cloud. "And you have to do something, Cloud. I mean, have you actually looked at Tifa? She's not going to wait for you forever, you know?"

Cloud had the feeling he was going to regret it, but he knew he had to ask.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Cloud, c'mon, Tifa is beautiful!" Marlene exclaimed. "And single at the moment, and some men are not as blind as you are! So, c'mon, this is your chance! Tell her you love her, and then ask her to marry you!"

"Things are not that simple."

"Yes they are, I think adults are the ones who complicate everything." Marlene muttered before turning to Denzel. "If I ever become like him, I give you permission to smack me out of it."

"Same here!" Denzel exclaimed, and then the two children walked out of the room, without bothering to look at Cloud again. "Oh, hey Tifa! Cloud's in the room if you're looking for him!"

At the name, Cloud looked at the door in time to see Tifa emerging from the hall, her head still turned to the hall. When she focused her attention on him, however, Cloud could not help but notice that she had the exact same smile he had seen on his dream.

"I should have known they would come wake you up as soon as I left the house." Tifa commented as she walked inside, and Cloud smiled slightly at her.

"I was already up when they decided to come and check on me." he corrected as Tifa finally stopped by the bed, and sat down on the mattress. "And I don't know what they talk about when they're supposed to be asleep, but they wake up with some impressive plans."

"Oh? And did they tell you what they have been planning this time?" Tifa questioned as she turned to him, and Cloud shook his head. "Well, when I went to wake them up, they said something about going to make sure we become a family. Go figure."

"Well, they didn't tell me their plan either, but they did tell me something along those lines too." Cloud said after a long silence, and Tifa looked at him with a confused expression. "I think that…well, it would be a great gift if we managed to do what they want us to do."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Silently Cloud pressed his back against the headboard of his bed, his mako eyes staring down. He had never been good at expressing his feelings, even as a child, and this time it was no different. After all, how was he supposed to do tell his childhood best friend that he truly wanted to make the children's dream come true? Especially now that he understood what he was supposed to do.

"_Go to her, Cloud."_

Despite of everything, Cloud had recognized the voice in his dream.

Aeris' voice…

"Some weeks ago, I would have the same nightmare every night." Cloud started without looking up, but he felt Tifa shift on the bed in order to find a better position to be in. "In every nightmare I would watch the same thing happen over and over again without ever being able to do a thing about it."

"You never told me." Tifa pointed out, and Cloud sighed as he continued looking down.

"I never said anything because…" slowly Cloud looked up, and his eyes immediately meet Tifa's. "Because it happened at Aeris' Church, and every night I would be force to watch Sephiroth emerge from the shadows, and…"

"Kill Aeris?" Tifa whispered, but Cloud shook his head.

"No, every night I had to watch him killing _you_." Cloud confessed, and Tifa opened her eyes widened in surprise. "And because of that nightmare, I was afraid. I was afraid I would lose you and everyone else again, because we all known that Sephiroth may show up again."

"Cloud, if Sephiroth ever shows up again, we'll defeat him once more." Tifa started, and before Cloud knew it, she had reached out for his hand, and entwined her fingers with his. "Because we're friends, Cloud; because we know each other's strengths and weaknesses, and because together we're unbeatable."

"Just…friends?" Cloud whispered before he could stop himself, his eyes locked with their entwined hands, and he felt Tifa grow tense. "Tifa, I…"

"For the past month I've been having nightmares too." Tifa started, and Cloud blinked as he gazed at her face again. This time, it was her who was staring down. "It happened when the children were being cured at Aeris' Church, and you…you would step out of the water, and walk right past me."

When she took a deep breath, Cloud found himself squeezing her hand, and slowly Tifa glanced down at their joined hands.

"And every night I would watch you walk towards the doors, and Aeris would be there." the young woman continued, but Cloud simply watched her finally raising her eyes to meet his. "And every night I would watch you smile at her, and I never managed to move, not even to stop you."

"Tifa…"

"And then I would feel awful, because Aeris is no longer among us, and I…" Tifa trailed off. "And I would wake up with this pain in my heart, because I…I cannot help but think you're ever going to leave us again."

"Tifa, I promise the only times I'll leave it's because of some deliver." Cloud spoke suddenly, and Tifa stared at him with a mix of surprise and relief on her face. "Listen, I…it took me a long time to realise this, but… I guess I needed to talk to Vincent, and hear Marlene's reprimand…"

"Huh?" Tifa questioned in confusion, but Cloud simply shook his head before raising his hand, the one that was still holding Tifa's. "Cloud, what…?"

"And I finally understood why I'm still here." Cloud continued, the corner of his lips curling into a small smile, and Tifa blinked at his words. "I finally understood for what I'm living for, and Tifa I…. I may have been lost in the past, but now I know, and I can say that…"

Cloud trailed off, and took a deep breath. It was time to prove that he was not Cloud Strife, the saviour of the world, for nothing.

"Denzel, Marlene…" Cloud continued, and then he stared at Tifa, observing how her dark eyes showed how much she was expecting for him to continue. "You…you're the reasons why I always survived. The three of you…my family is the reason why I'm still here."

"Cloud…"

"And Tifa, I want to be able to keep my promise of being your hero…" Cloud took another deep breath and squeezed her hand, and slowly Tifa rose a hand against her chest. "Forever…"

"Cloud, are you aware of what that sounds like?" Tifa whispered, her free hand still pressed against her chest, and Cloud nodded, and this time a real smile graced his pale features. "Cloud, I…"

"C'mon mum, say yes!" a voice exclaimed suddenly, and then there was a yelp.

In confusion, the two young adults looked at the slightly opened door of the room, and blinked when they saw both Marlene and Denzel there. Denzel was currently rubbing the top of his head, while Marlene looked irritated.

"Denzel, now you ruined the moment!" Marlene scolded, making the boy smile sheepishly. The two of them winced, however, when Tifa called their names, with an angry tone, but Cloud could not help but stare at the two children with an amused expression.

"Come here you two!" Tifa ordered in her strong voice, and slowly both Marlene and Denzel walked inside the room, and stopped when they were in front of the young woman. "What did I tell you about eavesdropping?"

"I'm sorry Tifa, but we just wanted to see if Cloud was going to ask you…" Marlene apologized as she looked down, and Denzel nodded with his eyes also locked with the floor. On the meantime, both Cloud and Tifa exchanged a look, and nodded.

"Come here, you little troublemaker." Cloud hissed, releasing Tifa's hand before pulling Denzel to him at same time Tifa pulled Marlene to her, and they immediately started tickling the youngsters.

While the children laughed and tried to escape from their 'torture', Cloud found himself looking at Tifa, who ended up looking back at him. It was almost as if they knew when to look at one another, and when Tifa smiled at him, Cloud found himself smiling back.

That was it…that moment, with the four of them together…that was why Cloud was living for.

And truth was, he could not be happier.

**The End**

Once again, I want to thank everyone for everything! You guys rock! Thanks for everything!!

_05/10/07_


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